Hey everyone,

I just found out that the gates at Muir Beach are now locked until 9:00 each morning. This really rubs me the wrong way; the old 7:30 access was pushing it, but 9:00 is a deal breaker.

I just wrote a respectful yet honest email to Mia Monroe, the site supervisor for Muir. I asked for an explanation for why the gates are opened later, and explained that this is a serious blow to all of the people who like to enjoy Muir Beach before the crowds and winds show up.

Her email is Mia.monroe@nps.gov

I urge all of you who like Muir Beach to send her a respectful email asking for the gate to be opened sooner.

Thanks for reading.

Cheers,

Alex

Yeah, this is discouraging. I just wrote this letter. Feel free to copy and paste:

Hi Mia,
I am writing to express my concern and disappointment regarding the new 9AM opening time of the gate at Muir Beach. For those of us who enjoy early mornings along the coast, Muir Beach is no longer an option. I am an avid kayaker and angler and Muir Beach happens to be a great - and one of the only - access point for those of us who enjoy fishing for salmon, but opening the gate at such a late hour is a deal-breaker for anyone who wishes to enjoy the water before the winds come up, as they usually do every day.

I see no reason why the gate shouldn't open at 7AM. Muir Beach is located in an affluent area of Marin, so transients, drug-dealers, and late-night partying should not be of major concern here. It is a public beach and its accessibility should not be so severely restricted. Please consider opening the gate earlier for those of us who enjoy getting a jump start on our beach days.

Seaweed - The beach is technically open earlier, but you have to park far away and walk in.

That's kind of a late open time for a parking lot. 3.5 hours after a potential sunrise. These people are always trying to do jurkoff crap like that. They tried to put Iron Rangers at all the Sonoma County beaches at one point. We protested and they backed down. Same thing when they tried to say you couldn't go on the beach after 10 at night. It sounds like the Muir case is they just don't want to have to get anyone down there to open the gate early so put up a security camera high on a phone pole and leave the stinking gate open.

What's up, guys?

Just wanted to post up the email email string between Mia and I, in case any of you are interested.

My original email to Mia:
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Mia,
 
It recently came to my attention that the Muir Beach gates are now locked until 9:00 AM each morning. I was very disappointed to hear this news. As an avid kayaker and fisherman, I have always loved Muir Beach despite the fact that the gate used to be closed until 7:30 AM. I am writing to inform you that by keeping the gate closed until 9:00 AM you are effectively shutting out an entire contingent of people who like to visit the beach in the early morning hours before the winds and crowds show up.   
 
I would love to hear an explanation for why we have now lost the most calm, peaceful, and pleasant 1.5 hours this beach has to offer each day. I understand that the beach is still open despite the gates being locked, but hauling my kayak all the way from the highway does not sound fun.
 
Thank you for taking the time to read this email, and I look forward to your response.
 
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Mia's reply:

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Hi Alex...several years ago we changed the opening time of Muir Beach to 9 am due to staffing shortages and our crew felt like it could reliably open by that hour (they start at Muir Woods at 7 am, clean restrooms there to be ready for 8 am opening and then head to beach) and they tell me they often can open much earlier but no one should count on that.

Last year Muir Beach closesd for six months and we again examined our open/close times plus access points...we still felt that 9 am was the time we could reliably open.

We realize that this inconveniences those who wish to visit early (i like this time at beach, too) or for whom the tides are followed for their activity (i.e. fishing, kayaking, surfing). 

The only suggestion we have at this time is to go to gate, off-load gear, take care a short distance back up Pacific Way to one of the legitimate parking spaces between NPS parking lot and Pelican Inn and park there, walking back to gather gear for schlep to beach.
Hope this can work for you for now.

Hope this helps you understand the rationale behind the official opening time and that you find a way to visit and enjoy.

Please call if you want to talk more about this...415-388-2596

mia

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My reply back to Mia:

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Mia,

Thanks for taking the time to respond to my email. I understand what you're saying, but what I honestly don't understand is why the parking area of a free public beach needs a gate in the first place. It seems like it is not only an inconvenience for me, but for you and your staff as well.

Your suggestion of stopping and unloading gear at the gate may help in the morning, but it won't do much good later when the parking lot is full and I can't block the entrance or double park my car in the lot to load up.

Thanks again for your time.

Alex

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There you have it.... Hopefully we can get our point across here.

I was wondering what was going on there as I fish Muir as much as anywhere. I'v sent and email as well.
Thanks Alex

A google search indicates that Ms. Monroe's email address is mia_monroe@nps.gov
http://www.nps.gov/directory/employees.cfm?StartRow=301&sn=mo&pk=

Here is Mia's latest reaponse:

i know what you mean, should be easier to just keep open but if everyone was like you or i the world would be different, right...instead, one can't even imagine what can happen with illegal campers, late night partiers, people looking for a thrill so that is why gates help to minimize AND we want to make sure things are open when we say they will no matter what since staff do take vacations, get sick and also have to tend to other top priority things...it is a challenge!  but that doesn't mean that as we build staff back up after last year's major challenges (sequester, shut down) we won't be able to look at expanding services since that is also what we want to do...sorry!  but, thanks for being in touch...fyi, the lot only fills a handful of days a year so hopefully you'll always find a way to make this work til we solve the bigger issues...mia